Perfect prep: Simona Halep takes 14-match win streak to French Open

Two months of bodily coaching. Then three months of follow on clay courts. Followed by two straight titles on the purple dust.

Amid all of the tumult of the coronavirus pandemic, Simona Halep would possibly very nicely have discovered the right system to arrange for the French Open.

When the clay-court Grand Slam event begins Sunday, 2018 champion Halep can be on court docket in opposition to 70th-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo.

“I was very strict to the schedule, and I have worked a lot and I have improved a lot physically,” Halep mentioned of her time at residence in Romania in the course of the lockdown. “That’s why I can run, I can feel fit every match. My legs are stronger and stronger, which gives me confidence during the matches, and also on clay it’s (helpful).”

Ranked second however seeded No. 1 at Roland Garros as a result of defending champion Ash Barty will not be taking part in, Halep enters with a 9-Zero document since tennis restarted, with titles on clay in Prague and Rome — and a 14-match successful streak that dates to February.

Separated from her Australian coach Darren Cahill for seven months in the course of the pandemic, Halep spent the prolonged break from competitors together with her Romanian coach, Artemon Apostu-Efremov.

“First part of pandemic, it was mostly physical, because in Romania we weren’t allowed to do any tennis until 15th of May,” Apostu-Efremov informed The Associated Press. “Then when it was possible to go out and play again … all our practice was on clay.

“We’ve been, for a while, on clay,” he mentioned, “and you get more used (to) the bounce, with the angles, and I hope this will be an advantage for her.”

Another potential edge for Halep: She didn’t play the just lately concluded U.S. Open, having determined in opposition to touring abroad as a result of well being issues amid the pandemic. So she wasn’t worn down by a deep run in New York — and even simply the journey and jet lag — like a lot of her principal challengers.

At the Italian Open, Halep’s remaining three matches got here in opposition to Yulia Putintseva, Garbiñe Muguruza and Karolína Pliskova — all three of whom performed on the U.S. Open. Putintseva and Pliskova every retired due to damage after dropping the primary set to Halep, whereas Muguruza was methodically worn down over the course of an extended three-setter.

With the French Open being rescheduled from its regular May-June slot to late September and early October, cooler and wetter-than-usual climate may play to Halep’s strongpoint: outlasting opponents over lengthy rallies together with her fluid motion and improved stamina.

“To play (an) aggressive game against her is going to be quite tough,” Pliskova mentioned. “And she (already) had big success in Paris, so I think she’s going to be one of my favorites to go for the title.”

Halep’s resolution to sit down out the U.S. Open was made with the identical logic she used when she determined to not compete within the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics as a result of issues over the Zika virus.

“If I don’t feel relaxed mentally about the health, I don’t go,” she mentioned. “So that’s why I didn’t play Olympics few years ago. That’s why I didn’t play U.S. Open. I just feel stressed. And when I feel stressed, I prefer to stay home.”

While virus circumstances are growing throughout France — the variety of spectators on the French Open has been dropped to 1,000 per day — Halep clearly feels comfy in Paris, a metropolis she calls her “favorite.”

Having beforehand misplaced two French Open finals, Halep claimed her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros two years in the past by rallying from a set all the way down to beat Sloane Stephens. Halep added a second main trophy by dropping solely 4 video games in opposition to Serena Williams in final yr’s Wimbledon remaining.

So think about Halep, who can reclaim the top-ranking from Barty if she wins Roland Garros once more, able to take care of the expectations of being a favourite.

“She has big expectations of herself,” Apostu-Efremov mentioned. “This is a strange year and everyone has to adapt to the new environment, new conditions, (fewer) spectators. Some do it better, some miss some of this old stuff.”

Halep, it appears, is best ready than ever.